1 00:00:01,387 --> 00:00:09,387 ♪♪ 2 00:00:17,836 --> 00:00:21,421 Nikola Tesla was the greatest inventor in American history. 3 00:00:21,422 --> 00:00:24,524 A.c. Power, electric motors, 4 00:00:24,525 --> 00:00:27,973 fluorescent lights, x-rays, wireless energy... 5 00:00:27,974 --> 00:00:31,317 Tesla paved the way for all of these technologies. 6 00:00:31,318 --> 00:00:34,697 Prince: Tesla was taking several of his inventions 7 00:00:34,698 --> 00:00:38,352 and putting them together to become this superweapon. 8 00:00:38,353 --> 00:00:40,214 He called it the death ray. 9 00:00:40,215 --> 00:00:42,317 Murphy: Did Tesla invent the world's first 10 00:00:42,318 --> 00:00:43,835 weapon of mass destruction? 11 00:00:43,836 --> 00:00:45,731 And was he murdered for it? 12 00:00:45,732 --> 00:00:48,697 Narrator: Now a military investigator... 13 00:00:48,698 --> 00:00:50,869 A historian... And an engineer 14 00:00:50,870 --> 00:00:53,248 unlock the mysteries behind what could be 15 00:00:53,249 --> 00:00:56,559 the greatest cover-up of the 20th century. 16 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:58,490 Koscho: We're gonna build Tesla's death ray. 17 00:00:58,491 --> 00:01:00,179 I want to put together a prototype, 18 00:01:00,180 --> 00:01:03,421 throw some capacitors together, get one of the Tesla coils out. 19 00:01:03,422 --> 00:01:06,490 Ah, what the [bleep] oh, we blew this the [bleep] up. 20 00:01:06,491 --> 00:01:07,662 Pike's peak? 21 00:01:07,663 --> 00:01:08,904 Yeah, that's Colorado Springs. 22 00:01:08,905 --> 00:01:10,973 Tesla went there in 1899 23 00:01:10,974 --> 00:01:12,731 and built an experimental station. 24 00:01:12,732 --> 00:01:14,352 You know, anything you can find 25 00:01:14,353 --> 00:01:15,904 is really gonna help me at this point. 26 00:01:15,905 --> 00:01:17,490 Well, well, well. What do we have here? 27 00:01:17,491 --> 00:01:18,973 Look at that. 28 00:01:18,974 --> 00:01:22,455 Tesla used the copper water main here to ground his lab. 29 00:01:22,456 --> 00:01:25,593 I want to dig a hole out back. I want to fill it with copper. 30 00:01:25,594 --> 00:01:27,524 I want to connect it to the coil. 31 00:01:27,525 --> 00:01:28,938 Let's hope this [bleep] works. 32 00:01:28,939 --> 00:01:31,145 Three... two... one. 33 00:01:31,146 --> 00:01:33,455 - Wow! Holy [bleep]! - It works, guys. 34 00:01:33,456 --> 00:01:35,731 Captions by vitac... www.Vitac.Com 35 00:01:35,732 --> 00:01:38,352 captions paid for by discovery communications 36 00:01:38,353 --> 00:01:40,800 narrator: On January 8, 1943, 37 00:01:40,801 --> 00:01:44,214 Nikola Tesla is found dead in a New York hotel room. 38 00:01:44,215 --> 00:01:47,731 His safe is cracked, documents are stolen, 39 00:01:47,732 --> 00:01:49,938 but no autopsy is performed, 40 00:01:49,939 --> 00:01:52,559 and no forensic evidence is collected. 41 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:56,835 With the successful test-fire of the death ray, 42 00:01:56,836 --> 00:01:58,490 Tesla's superweapon 43 00:01:58,491 --> 00:02:01,731 and his plans to send wireless energy across the world 44 00:02:01,732 --> 00:02:05,317 were closer to reality than we had previously imagined. 45 00:02:05,318 --> 00:02:08,317 And the team now believes there's a definite connection 46 00:02:08,318 --> 00:02:12,800 between Tesla's suspicious death and his death ray. 47 00:02:12,801 --> 00:02:20,801 ♪♪ 48 00:02:25,318 --> 00:02:27,490 - We got it done, huh? - We did, man. We got it done. 49 00:02:27,491 --> 00:02:29,490 Koscho: We built a prototype, and it did work. 50 00:02:29,491 --> 00:02:31,386 This death ray could've been the real deal. 51 00:02:31,387 --> 00:02:34,697 Tesla was not just pulling this stuff out of his ass. 52 00:02:34,698 --> 00:02:36,869 Yeah. It's not magic. It's engineering. 53 00:02:36,870 --> 00:02:39,283 Exactly. But I think we can go big with this. 54 00:02:39,284 --> 00:02:41,352 I don't see any reason why we can't scale this up 55 00:02:41,353 --> 00:02:43,766 to something that's, you know, 20, 25 feet tall. 56 00:02:43,767 --> 00:02:47,214 We built a grounding system for the prototype 57 00:02:47,215 --> 00:02:50,145 that is similar to the ones Tesla used 58 00:02:50,146 --> 00:02:53,869 for his tests of wireless power transmission, and it worked. 59 00:02:53,870 --> 00:02:55,973 That current had to flow 60 00:02:55,974 --> 00:02:58,766 from the capacitor bank through the Tesla coil, 61 00:02:58,767 --> 00:03:00,524 out the top, through the beam, 62 00:03:00,525 --> 00:03:02,869 and into our target without blowing anything up. 63 00:03:02,870 --> 00:03:05,904 Tesla theorized that this could destroy aircraft. 64 00:03:05,905 --> 00:03:08,593 So we need to prove Tesla's theory could work here, 65 00:03:08,594 --> 00:03:11,386 and in order to do that, we start to scale this thing. 66 00:03:11,387 --> 00:03:14,110 At this point, you've proven that the death ray 67 00:03:14,111 --> 00:03:15,973 was a real, feasible concept, 68 00:03:15,974 --> 00:03:18,214 which now introduces the idea 69 00:03:18,215 --> 00:03:20,697 that there may have been motivation for a murder. 70 00:03:20,698 --> 00:03:23,317 People would've wanted to get their hands on it. 71 00:03:23,318 --> 00:03:26,145 So did someone kill Tesla for it? 72 00:03:26,146 --> 00:03:28,628 That's the next question we have to try to answer. 73 00:03:28,629 --> 00:03:30,904 It's a hell of a question. 74 00:03:30,905 --> 00:03:33,110 We have to start taking the theory 75 00:03:33,111 --> 00:03:35,248 that Tesla might've been assassinated 76 00:03:35,249 --> 00:03:37,973 a little bit more seriously, so I think the direction 77 00:03:37,974 --> 00:03:39,904 that this investigation is taking 78 00:03:39,905 --> 00:03:41,904 is gonna have to shift. 79 00:03:41,905 --> 00:03:43,938 In any murder investigation, 80 00:03:43,939 --> 00:03:46,076 you want to look at who had the means, the motive, 81 00:03:46,077 --> 00:03:48,145 and the opportunity to commit the crime, 82 00:03:48,146 --> 00:03:50,800 and I think that's what we need to start looking at. 83 00:03:50,801 --> 00:03:52,697 This is something that could've defeated 84 00:03:52,698 --> 00:03:54,869 long-range nuclear bombers. 85 00:03:54,870 --> 00:03:56,697 World superpowers would've done anything 86 00:03:56,698 --> 00:03:58,731 to get their hands on these types of designs. 87 00:03:58,732 --> 00:04:01,628 Now, who's the enemy in 1943? 88 00:04:01,629 --> 00:04:04,455 Tesla died at the height of world war ii. 89 00:04:04,456 --> 00:04:07,179 There were so many countries that were involved in this war, 90 00:04:07,180 --> 00:04:08,973 and every one of them were desperate 91 00:04:08,974 --> 00:04:10,697 to get their hands on something 92 00:04:10,698 --> 00:04:13,559 that could protect them and keep them safe. 93 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,248 To understand the impact the death ray would've had, 94 00:04:16,249 --> 00:04:18,421 you have to understand what was going on 95 00:04:18,422 --> 00:04:21,076 in the world at that time. 96 00:04:21,077 --> 00:04:24,145 Narrator: Battles rage over six continents, 97 00:04:24,146 --> 00:04:27,662 devastating weaponry is being developed and unleashed... 98 00:04:27,663 --> 00:04:32,490 Machine guns, Nazi v-2 rockets, torpedoes. 99 00:04:32,491 --> 00:04:34,766 Any new weapon is being pursued, 100 00:04:34,767 --> 00:04:36,904 and Tesla is telling the world 101 00:04:36,905 --> 00:04:40,145 he has a superweapon that can end all wars, 102 00:04:40,146 --> 00:04:43,835 making him the most valuable asset, or most dangerous threat, 103 00:04:43,836 --> 00:04:45,904 to any world power. 104 00:04:45,905 --> 00:04:48,179 We're looking at an investigation 105 00:04:48,180 --> 00:04:49,973 that's the ultimate cold case. 106 00:04:49,974 --> 00:04:51,835 All the witnesses, suspects, 107 00:04:51,836 --> 00:04:53,766 they're probably all dead at this point. 108 00:04:53,767 --> 00:04:56,352 But what we do have is these FBI documents 109 00:04:56,353 --> 00:04:59,490 that were written just four days after Tesla died. 110 00:04:59,491 --> 00:05:03,007 This one's dated January 17, 1943. 111 00:05:03,008 --> 00:05:05,214 It says that Tesla has a distant relative 112 00:05:05,215 --> 00:05:08,559 by the name of sava kosanovic. 113 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,904 This says the day after Tesla died 114 00:05:11,905 --> 00:05:14,869 that sava kosanovic got into the hotel room, 115 00:05:14,870 --> 00:05:17,697 cracked open the safe, and made off with some documents. 116 00:05:17,698 --> 00:05:19,973 He broke in. I mean, this is pretty shady. 117 00:05:19,974 --> 00:05:21,766 He actually had the safe cracked open. 118 00:05:21,767 --> 00:05:23,317 What did he get out of the safe? 119 00:05:23,318 --> 00:05:25,317 - It's suspicious, at least. - Yeah. 120 00:05:25,318 --> 00:05:27,421 Narrator: Towards the end of his life, 121 00:05:27,422 --> 00:05:29,766 Nikola Tesla becomes increasingly withdrawn, 122 00:05:29,767 --> 00:05:31,697 spending all his time alone 123 00:05:31,698 --> 00:05:34,076 in his hotel room at the new yorker. 124 00:05:34,077 --> 00:05:37,386 Rumors spread that the inventor hates the touch of other people. 125 00:05:37,387 --> 00:05:38,835 Few visitors are allowed, 126 00:05:38,836 --> 00:05:40,938 but Tesla makes special arrangements 127 00:05:40,939 --> 00:05:42,731 to see his nephew sava. 128 00:05:42,732 --> 00:05:46,076 Sava is likely one of the last people to see Tesla alive 129 00:05:46,077 --> 00:05:48,731 and perhaps the first person to see him dead. 130 00:05:48,732 --> 00:05:50,110 Here's what we know for sure. 131 00:05:50,111 --> 00:05:53,455 When Tesla died, his nephew sava kosanovic 132 00:05:53,456 --> 00:05:55,386 made a beeline for his hotel room 133 00:05:55,387 --> 00:05:57,421 at the new yorker in New York City. 134 00:05:57,422 --> 00:06:00,662 Someone broke in to the safe and took things 135 00:06:00,663 --> 00:06:03,076 before the FBI got there. 136 00:06:03,077 --> 00:06:05,283 Those documents that were stolen... 137 00:06:05,284 --> 00:06:08,145 Nobody knows what those are or where they are. 138 00:06:08,146 --> 00:06:10,386 There are rumors that some of those documents 139 00:06:10,387 --> 00:06:12,421 may be about the death ray. 140 00:06:12,422 --> 00:06:15,421 Narrator: Sava kosanovic, allegedly an active communist, 141 00:06:15,422 --> 00:06:17,524 returns home to modern-day Serbia 142 00:06:17,525 --> 00:06:19,283 shortly after Tesla's death, 143 00:06:19,284 --> 00:06:21,386 reportedly carrying the stolen documents 144 00:06:21,387 --> 00:06:23,076 from Tesla's safe with him. 145 00:06:23,077 --> 00:06:25,766 Years later, he petitions the Serbian government 146 00:06:25,767 --> 00:06:28,007 to open a Tesla museum and archive 147 00:06:28,008 --> 00:06:30,179 to store all of Tesla's materials. 148 00:06:30,180 --> 00:06:32,973 But this archive is off-limits to the public, 149 00:06:32,974 --> 00:06:35,697 and its full contents unknown. 150 00:06:35,698 --> 00:06:37,904 This FBI document here 151 00:06:37,905 --> 00:06:40,628 says there is a strong likelihood that kosanovic 152 00:06:40,629 --> 00:06:42,904 will make such information available to the enemy. 153 00:06:42,905 --> 00:06:46,593 Well, it seems to imply that sava was up to no good. 154 00:06:46,594 --> 00:06:49,076 Sava kosanovic is all over these FBI documents. 155 00:06:49,077 --> 00:06:51,283 And if they were that interested in him, 156 00:06:51,284 --> 00:06:53,248 then I want to know what happened to him. 157 00:06:53,249 --> 00:06:56,283 Sava kosanovic is the first person we have to look at. 158 00:06:56,284 --> 00:06:59,111 He's suspect number one. 159 00:07:00,905 --> 00:07:03,042 There's not a lot of information 160 00:07:03,043 --> 00:07:06,007 about what happened when sava got back to Serbia. 161 00:07:06,008 --> 00:07:08,593 We need to track down where these documents went. 162 00:07:08,594 --> 00:07:10,869 If that leads to Serbia, then that's where we need to go. 163 00:07:10,870 --> 00:07:12,800 Narrator: While Aron and his team 164 00:07:12,801 --> 00:07:15,593 get to work on the scaled-up death ray, 165 00:07:15,594 --> 00:07:18,697 Jack and Cameron travel to Serbia, 166 00:07:18,698 --> 00:07:22,974 hoping to learn more about sava's movements there. 167 00:07:25,318 --> 00:07:29,283 To the Serbs, Tesla is like George Washington to Americans. 168 00:07:29,284 --> 00:07:31,938 Tesla is a national hero in Serbia. 169 00:07:31,939 --> 00:07:34,938 The international airport is named after Tesla. 170 00:07:34,939 --> 00:07:37,042 He appears on their $1 bill. 171 00:07:37,043 --> 00:07:39,386 Prince: He is a role model. 172 00:07:39,387 --> 00:07:43,766 He embodies what it means to be a Serbian. 173 00:07:43,767 --> 00:07:46,938 I believe serbians would do anything 174 00:07:46,939 --> 00:07:49,836 to protect the legacy of Nikola Tesla. 175 00:07:53,732 --> 00:07:56,421 Murphy: The FBI documents pit sava 176 00:07:56,422 --> 00:07:58,662 as somebody who's highly suspicious. 177 00:07:58,663 --> 00:08:00,386 Everybody knows of him, 178 00:08:00,387 --> 00:08:03,386 but they don't really know anything about him. 179 00:08:03,387 --> 00:08:06,938 Prince: And he's like the ghost that we just can't pin down. 180 00:08:06,939 --> 00:08:08,628 He preserved Tesla's legacy 181 00:08:08,629 --> 00:08:11,145 by making sure those records stayed intact. 182 00:08:11,146 --> 00:08:12,628 We have to give him that. 183 00:08:12,629 --> 00:08:15,110 I guess the question is why. And why bring them to Belgrade? 184 00:08:15,111 --> 00:08:16,662 We got a good place to start. 185 00:08:16,663 --> 00:08:18,524 We have to get access to the archives. 186 00:08:18,525 --> 00:08:21,145 Murphy: I wonder if sava hid the stuff from Tesla's safe 187 00:08:21,146 --> 00:08:23,938 in the rest of the materials that are now in the archive. 188 00:08:23,939 --> 00:08:26,593 But if we can't find them there, then where are they? 189 00:08:26,594 --> 00:08:28,662 - Let's go do some homework. - Yeah. 190 00:08:28,663 --> 00:08:32,179 ♪♪ 191 00:08:32,180 --> 00:08:34,490 Murphy: My first move in an investigation 192 00:08:34,491 --> 00:08:36,248 is to interview witnesses 193 00:08:36,249 --> 00:08:38,283 and people who have firsthand information. 194 00:08:38,284 --> 00:08:41,421 But Tesla's death is colder than most cold cases, 195 00:08:41,422 --> 00:08:45,524 so the only thing I can do is go to the Tesla museum archive, 196 00:08:45,525 --> 00:08:47,110 where his effects and documents, 197 00:08:47,111 --> 00:08:48,869 contained in the 80 trunks 198 00:08:48,870 --> 00:08:50,628 that were seized by the U.S. government, 199 00:08:50,629 --> 00:08:52,524 are all under lock and key. 200 00:08:52,525 --> 00:08:54,007 But I want to just walk through 201 00:08:54,008 --> 00:08:55,766 the front door of the Tesla museum 202 00:08:55,767 --> 00:08:59,179 and ask to see the archives, just to do my due diligence 203 00:08:59,180 --> 00:09:02,317 and make sure there isn't any way to gain access to them. 204 00:09:02,318 --> 00:09:08,835 ♪♪ 205 00:09:08,836 --> 00:09:10,455 Hey. How's it going? 206 00:09:10,456 --> 00:09:12,248 So, my friend and I, 207 00:09:12,249 --> 00:09:16,766 we're wondering if we can get access to the archives. 208 00:09:16,767 --> 00:09:19,974 There's no way we can see the archives? 209 00:09:23,663 --> 00:09:26,352 We don't have any idea why the Tesla museum 210 00:09:26,353 --> 00:09:28,800 keeps such a guard on this material 211 00:09:28,801 --> 00:09:31,421 and why they won't let just anyone access it. 212 00:09:31,422 --> 00:09:33,766 Murphy: After being denied access to the archives, 213 00:09:33,767 --> 00:09:35,214 we need to regroup. 214 00:09:35,215 --> 00:09:37,179 Cameron and I need to find local sources 215 00:09:37,180 --> 00:09:38,766 who can help us out here. 216 00:09:38,767 --> 00:09:43,110 I didn't fly all the way to Serbia just to spin our wheels. 217 00:09:43,111 --> 00:09:45,317 Narrator: Tapping the network he developed in the military, 218 00:09:45,318 --> 00:09:47,938 Jack makes contact with a local informant. 219 00:09:47,939 --> 00:09:49,904 The source is willing to talk 220 00:09:49,905 --> 00:09:52,524 but only if they meet out of the public eye. 221 00:09:52,525 --> 00:09:55,007 Investigating Tesla, a national hero, 222 00:09:55,008 --> 00:09:58,042 is still taboo in Serbia. 223 00:09:58,043 --> 00:10:00,007 Murphy: An investigation like this 224 00:10:00,008 --> 00:10:02,042 is all about who you know and who knows who. 225 00:10:02,043 --> 00:10:03,800 When you go into a foreign country, 226 00:10:03,801 --> 00:10:06,421 you want to make local contacts, people who have a sort of 227 00:10:06,422 --> 00:10:09,214 nuanced understanding of the local situation 228 00:10:09,215 --> 00:10:12,076 that, as Americans, we won't have. 229 00:10:12,077 --> 00:10:15,179 Murphy: Hey. Good morning. 230 00:10:15,180 --> 00:10:17,628 - Jack. - Predrag. 231 00:10:17,629 --> 00:10:21,352 So, we came to try to get the Serbian perspective on things. 232 00:10:21,353 --> 00:10:23,524 I was wondering if you could tell us more 233 00:10:23,525 --> 00:10:25,835 about sava kosanovic. 234 00:10:25,836 --> 00:10:27,283 We kind of lose track of him 235 00:10:27,284 --> 00:10:29,593 when he leaves america and comes back to Serbia. 236 00:10:29,594 --> 00:10:31,386 What was his role in the government? 237 00:10:31,387 --> 00:10:34,422 What did he do here when he came back home? 238 00:10:48,422 --> 00:10:50,352 Narrator: Following Tesla's death, 239 00:10:50,353 --> 00:10:54,248 sava kosanovic's time in Serbia is shrouded in mystery. 240 00:10:54,249 --> 00:10:56,973 Supposedly a loyal member of the communist party, 241 00:10:56,974 --> 00:10:59,076 he may have had ties to the Soviet union, 242 00:10:59,077 --> 00:11:01,248 leaving many historians to wonder 243 00:11:01,249 --> 00:11:03,248 if he was more than just a politician. 244 00:11:03,249 --> 00:11:05,904 In order to gain access to the archives at the museum, 245 00:11:05,905 --> 00:11:07,697 who do you think we should talk to? 246 00:11:07,698 --> 00:11:09,422 Uh... 247 00:11:11,249 --> 00:11:13,938 We know it isn't going to be easy, but we're really hoping 248 00:11:13,939 --> 00:11:17,077 that you can get us access to those archives. 249 00:11:30,663 --> 00:11:32,904 - Very good. - I really appreciate that. 250 00:11:32,905 --> 00:11:36,353 Do you think they'll give us access to the archive? 251 00:11:48,663 --> 00:11:51,731 Prince: We're looking for the missing pieces of the death ray. 252 00:11:51,732 --> 00:11:53,835 Do you think they're in the museum? 253 00:11:53,836 --> 00:11:55,214 Yes. 254 00:11:55,215 --> 00:11:56,766 Koscho: We need to run some structural tests on it. 255 00:11:56,767 --> 00:11:58,697 - Think this is gonna hold? - 250! 256 00:11:58,698 --> 00:12:00,110 It scares the [bleep] out of me. 257 00:12:00,111 --> 00:12:02,628 Prince: We've been studying Tesla for all these months. 258 00:12:02,629 --> 00:12:05,317 I've been doing it all my life. Never seen anything like that. 259 00:12:05,318 --> 00:12:07,870 That makes the death ray real. 260 00:12:14,353 --> 00:12:19,042 ♪♪ 261 00:12:19,043 --> 00:12:21,076 Narrator: Aron and his team 262 00:12:21,077 --> 00:12:24,352 have successfully tested a small-scale death ray. 263 00:12:24,353 --> 00:12:27,731 - Wow! Holy [bleep] - Wow. 264 00:12:27,732 --> 00:12:31,110 All right, well, now that we know this works, 265 00:12:31,111 --> 00:12:33,766 we can move on to something a little bit bigger. 266 00:12:33,767 --> 00:12:35,800 They are now moving on to a large prototype 267 00:12:35,801 --> 00:12:37,455 of Tesla's weapon. 268 00:12:37,456 --> 00:12:38,697 If they can prove the death ray 269 00:12:38,698 --> 00:12:40,904 could shoot an aircraft from the sky, 270 00:12:40,905 --> 00:12:44,145 it will provide a motive for the murder of Nikola Tesla. 271 00:12:44,146 --> 00:12:46,766 Koscho: Tesla, he used a sphere on top of his death ray. 272 00:12:46,767 --> 00:12:48,559 You know, a sphere makes a lot of sense. 273 00:12:48,560 --> 00:12:51,697 Fabricating one, it's going to be pretty challenging. 274 00:12:51,698 --> 00:12:54,490 It's a lot of metalwork. It can be pretty time-consuming. 275 00:12:54,491 --> 00:12:57,110 But it fits the original model that Tesla had. 276 00:12:57,111 --> 00:12:58,904 We're building a very dangerous device here, 277 00:12:58,905 --> 00:13:00,766 and we're building it with a lot more energy, 278 00:13:00,767 --> 00:13:03,386 and so before we connect this big capacitor bank, 279 00:13:03,387 --> 00:13:05,800 we need to make sure that the weaponized part 280 00:13:05,801 --> 00:13:08,559 that discharges the energy is structurally sound. 281 00:13:08,560 --> 00:13:10,869 We need to make sure that we get the rings 282 00:13:10,870 --> 00:13:14,110 and the structure right, in that we don't have any sharp points 283 00:13:14,111 --> 00:13:16,628 because if there's even the smallest sharp point 284 00:13:16,629 --> 00:13:18,248 in a place we don't want it, 285 00:13:18,249 --> 00:13:21,007 that's where the discharge from the death ray will leave. 286 00:13:21,008 --> 00:13:23,421 If this beam goes somewhere we don't expect it to, 287 00:13:23,422 --> 00:13:25,179 it could cause tremendous damage. 288 00:13:25,180 --> 00:13:27,248 It could kill somebody. It could blow something up. 289 00:13:27,249 --> 00:13:29,042 We really need to focus on getting 290 00:13:29,043 --> 00:13:32,145 every little surface of this thing perfectly smooth 291 00:13:32,146 --> 00:13:34,110 so the death-ray beam leaves 292 00:13:34,111 --> 00:13:36,731 from exactly where we tell it to leave from and nowhere else. 293 00:13:36,732 --> 00:13:39,455 Similar to the barrel of a gun, 294 00:13:39,456 --> 00:13:42,110 it's building up, building up, building up kinetic energy 295 00:13:42,111 --> 00:13:44,283 until it finally exits from the muzzle. 296 00:13:44,284 --> 00:13:46,317 We'll attach a muzzle to our sphere, 297 00:13:46,318 --> 00:13:48,731 and that's where the death-ray beam is gonna exit. 298 00:13:48,732 --> 00:13:51,904 And at the very moment the death-ray beam discharges, 299 00:13:51,905 --> 00:13:54,559 all of that energy flows down our point, 300 00:13:54,560 --> 00:13:58,524 out our muzzle, and to our target. 301 00:13:58,525 --> 00:14:01,732 I think this is gonna be a hell of a process, and it starts now. 302 00:14:06,594 --> 00:14:09,076 Narrator: Jack and Cameron are in Belgrade, Serbia, 303 00:14:09,077 --> 00:14:11,524 trying to find the documents allegedly stolen 304 00:14:11,525 --> 00:14:14,110 on the night of Nikola Tesla's suspicious death. 305 00:14:14,111 --> 00:14:16,938 All roads lead to the archive at the Tesla museum, 306 00:14:16,939 --> 00:14:19,007 an area that's still kept under lock and key 307 00:14:19,008 --> 00:14:20,698 by the Serbian government. 308 00:14:22,732 --> 00:14:24,766 With the archive heavily protected, 309 00:14:24,767 --> 00:14:26,731 Jack and Cameron have turned to local sources 310 00:14:26,732 --> 00:14:28,698 to try to gain access. 311 00:14:33,111 --> 00:14:36,214 The pair follow their first local lead to a hidden landmark, 312 00:14:36,215 --> 00:14:37,697 an abandoned power plant 313 00:14:37,698 --> 00:14:40,835 where Tesla's technology was first utilized in Serbia. 314 00:14:40,836 --> 00:14:42,800 They are meeting a potential source 315 00:14:42,801 --> 00:14:45,869 who has firsthand knowledge of the Tesla archives. 316 00:14:45,870 --> 00:14:47,904 They hope he can provide information 317 00:14:47,905 --> 00:14:50,283 on how to gain access to the forbidden room 318 00:14:50,284 --> 00:14:53,353 and find out what exactly the serbians are hiding from the public there. 319 00:14:59,905 --> 00:15:03,663 So it's the system that Tesla designed. 320 00:15:10,077 --> 00:15:11,973 Narrator: At the turn of the 20th century, 321 00:15:11,974 --> 00:15:15,214 Tesla's alternating current revolutionizes power generation 322 00:15:15,215 --> 00:15:17,869 and helps create the modern power grid. 323 00:15:17,870 --> 00:15:19,904 Tesla's invention changes the world 324 00:15:19,905 --> 00:15:21,593 and leads to an a.C. Power grid 325 00:15:21,594 --> 00:15:23,697 being built here in his homeland. 326 00:15:23,698 --> 00:15:26,559 But for Tesla, a.C. Power is just step one. 327 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:28,973 His focus quickly moves to his true obsession... 328 00:15:28,974 --> 00:15:30,836 Wireless energy. 329 00:15:32,801 --> 00:15:34,697 Murphy: Me and Cameron, we've been investigating 330 00:15:34,698 --> 00:15:37,938 that whole chain of events after Tesla passed away... 331 00:15:37,939 --> 00:15:41,042 Sava kosanovic packing up all the documents, 332 00:15:41,043 --> 00:15:43,387 shipping them to Belgrade. 333 00:16:00,801 --> 00:16:02,836 That came from New York? 334 00:16:04,836 --> 00:16:08,042 We're looking for the missing pieces of the death ray. 335 00:16:08,043 --> 00:16:10,386 Do you think they're in the museum? 336 00:16:10,387 --> 00:16:12,525 Uh... 337 00:16:16,939 --> 00:16:20,215 How do we get access to the archive at the museum? 338 00:16:40,870 --> 00:16:42,973 Murphy: I think what abramovic was trying to communicate 339 00:16:42,974 --> 00:16:45,110 is that you have to know the right people 340 00:16:45,111 --> 00:16:47,421 and that you have to find someone on the inside. 341 00:16:47,422 --> 00:16:51,043 Why do you think they limit access to the museum? 342 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:13,352 Prince: Tesla has been dead for 75 years. 343 00:17:13,353 --> 00:17:16,179 What is the Serbian government trying to cover up? 344 00:17:16,180 --> 00:17:21,973 ♪♪ 345 00:17:21,974 --> 00:17:24,800 Murphy: Abramovic didn't seem hopeful that we'd be able 346 00:17:24,801 --> 00:17:27,214 to gain access to the Tesla archives. 347 00:17:27,215 --> 00:17:30,007 But we're not ready to give up yet, especially considering 348 00:17:30,008 --> 00:17:32,455 that there might be plans to the death ray down there. 349 00:17:32,456 --> 00:17:35,766 We've got one more lead. 350 00:17:35,767 --> 00:17:39,352 Hopefully he can get us access to the archives, 351 00:17:39,353 --> 00:17:42,214 and maybe he can illuminate us about sava. 352 00:17:42,215 --> 00:17:44,662 Hi. Thanks for meeting with us today. I'm Jack. 353 00:17:44,663 --> 00:17:46,662 - Cameron. - Vladimir. 354 00:17:46,663 --> 00:17:49,283 I was wondering if you could 355 00:17:49,284 --> 00:17:51,524 talk to us a little bit about Tesla. 356 00:17:51,525 --> 00:17:53,386 You spent eight years researching him? 357 00:17:53,387 --> 00:17:55,386 Yes. People think about Tesla 358 00:17:55,387 --> 00:17:58,455 as a symbol of unbridled creativity, 359 00:17:58,456 --> 00:18:01,490 not marred by profit or anything else. 360 00:18:01,491 --> 00:18:04,283 He was not your usual scientist. 361 00:18:04,284 --> 00:18:09,179 What about sava kosanovic? What do you know about him? 362 00:18:09,180 --> 00:18:12,905 Why are you so interested in kosanovic? 363 00:18:23,077 --> 00:18:26,007 Narrator: Jack and Cameron have reason to believe 364 00:18:26,008 --> 00:18:27,731 there are documents that could provide clues 365 00:18:27,732 --> 00:18:29,455 about Nikola Tesla's death 366 00:18:29,456 --> 00:18:32,317 hidden in the basement of the national Tesla archive, 367 00:18:32,318 --> 00:18:34,524 protected by the Serbian government 368 00:18:34,525 --> 00:18:36,490 and inaccessible to the public. 369 00:18:36,491 --> 00:18:39,110 We've got one more lead. 370 00:18:39,111 --> 00:18:41,938 Hopefully he can get us access to the archives, 371 00:18:41,939 --> 00:18:44,524 and maybe he can illuminate us about sava. 372 00:18:44,525 --> 00:18:46,800 I was wondering 373 00:18:46,801 --> 00:18:49,076 if you could talk to us a little bit about Tesla. 374 00:18:49,077 --> 00:18:51,421 You spent eight years researching him? 375 00:18:51,422 --> 00:18:53,559 Yes. People think about Tesla 376 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:56,455 as a symbol of unbridled creativity, 377 00:18:56,456 --> 00:18:59,800 not marred by profit or anything else. 378 00:18:59,801 --> 00:19:02,386 He was not your usual scientist. 379 00:19:02,387 --> 00:19:07,248 What about sava kosanovic? What do you know about him? 380 00:19:07,249 --> 00:19:11,145 Why... why are you so interested in kosanovic? 381 00:19:11,146 --> 00:19:16,386 When sava was getting Tesla's estate 382 00:19:16,387 --> 00:19:17,973 and bringing it over, 383 00:19:17,974 --> 00:19:20,386 he kind of disappeared. 384 00:19:20,387 --> 00:19:23,697 Murphy: I don't know why pistalo is evasive. 385 00:19:23,698 --> 00:19:26,317 We're not finding any more information about sava, 386 00:19:26,318 --> 00:19:29,145 and based on my military experience, that's suspicious 387 00:19:29,146 --> 00:19:32,800 because politicians don't just disappear, but spies do. 388 00:19:32,801 --> 00:19:35,766 Kosanovic sent his estate to yugoslavia. 389 00:19:35,767 --> 00:19:38,938 It was approved by the United States authorities, 390 00:19:38,939 --> 00:19:41,800 and they probably had a reason to approve it. 391 00:19:41,801 --> 00:19:43,490 Regarding Tesla's death, 392 00:19:43,491 --> 00:19:46,455 there is a series of suspicious activities 393 00:19:46,456 --> 00:19:48,524 that happened immediately afterwards. 394 00:19:48,525 --> 00:19:50,421 I was wondering what your thoughts are, 395 00:19:50,422 --> 00:19:52,179 what you gather about the documents 396 00:19:52,180 --> 00:19:54,007 that were stolen out of Tesla's safe. 397 00:19:54,008 --> 00:19:55,869 There is not much to tell. 398 00:19:55,870 --> 00:19:57,904 If these documents were found, 399 00:19:57,905 --> 00:20:00,214 then we can... Then we are in business. 400 00:20:00,215 --> 00:20:03,283 Then we can talk about that. Like, this, it is just hearsay. 401 00:20:03,284 --> 00:20:06,490 We don't have to make the story more complicated than it is. 402 00:20:06,491 --> 00:20:09,904 We don't have to try to make it any more wondrous. 403 00:20:09,905 --> 00:20:11,731 Pistalo is being so guarded 404 00:20:11,732 --> 00:20:14,317 that it makes me believe that there's a lot more here. 405 00:20:14,318 --> 00:20:17,076 It makes me want to get into those archives even more. 406 00:20:17,077 --> 00:20:19,249 What do you know about the death ray? 407 00:20:22,836 --> 00:20:24,938 The death ray is something 408 00:20:24,939 --> 00:20:28,628 that much has been spoken about but little is known. 409 00:20:28,629 --> 00:20:31,386 Probably he was thinking about that. 410 00:20:31,387 --> 00:20:34,524 He was making his notes according to what he knew 411 00:20:34,525 --> 00:20:36,973 in a code that was known only to him. 412 00:20:36,974 --> 00:20:38,352 He encrypted his own notes. 413 00:20:38,353 --> 00:20:40,731 He encrypted it with a crypt that we don't know. 414 00:20:40,732 --> 00:20:42,731 We've been trying to gain access 415 00:20:42,732 --> 00:20:44,938 to the archives at the Tesla museum, 416 00:20:44,939 --> 00:20:47,145 and we've had kind of a hard time at it. 417 00:20:47,146 --> 00:20:50,835 Why is it so hard to get access to the museum? 418 00:20:50,836 --> 00:20:54,904 Because it potentially could be dangerous. 419 00:20:54,905 --> 00:20:57,179 Prince: Pistalo isn't the first person 420 00:20:57,180 --> 00:21:00,421 to tell us the information in the archive could be dangerous 421 00:21:00,422 --> 00:21:02,352 if it's released to the public. 422 00:21:02,353 --> 00:21:05,766 To me, this means that there are plans there 423 00:21:05,767 --> 00:21:07,904 for weapons and other inventions 424 00:21:07,905 --> 00:21:10,386 that could be deadly if they're in the wrong hands. 425 00:21:10,387 --> 00:21:12,455 How did you get in the archives? 426 00:21:12,456 --> 00:21:15,248 Actually it was a friend of mine who was... 427 00:21:15,249 --> 00:21:17,455 Who was connected with the Tesla museum. 428 00:21:17,456 --> 00:21:19,697 But it was back then. I was maybe lucky. 429 00:21:19,698 --> 00:21:23,352 Maybe it was a different time because it is usually the people 430 00:21:23,353 --> 00:21:26,835 who lead the institution who decide about these policies. 431 00:21:26,836 --> 00:21:29,731 So what is it gonna take to get in the museum? 432 00:21:29,732 --> 00:21:31,421 How can we get in there? 433 00:21:31,422 --> 00:21:33,836 How can we get access to the archives? 434 00:21:36,249 --> 00:21:38,491 Goodwill. 435 00:21:40,801 --> 00:21:42,904 [ Laughs ] 436 00:21:42,905 --> 00:21:45,386 I think Tesla would have wanted 437 00:21:45,387 --> 00:21:48,249 his papers to be made available. 438 00:22:05,353 --> 00:22:07,731 - That would be hugely helpful. - Yeah, that'd be very helpful. 439 00:22:07,732 --> 00:22:09,732 I appreciate that. 440 00:22:13,008 --> 00:22:14,869 Thank you so much for meeting us today. 441 00:22:14,870 --> 00:22:16,076 Bye-bye. 442 00:22:16,077 --> 00:22:18,043 It's been very enlightening. Thank you. 443 00:22:22,594 --> 00:22:24,801 [ Beep] 444 00:22:28,318 --> 00:22:30,629 Murphy: Hi. Mr. [bleep]. 445 00:22:33,043 --> 00:22:35,697 This is Jack Murphy. I'm here with Cameron prince. 446 00:22:35,698 --> 00:22:38,732 We were given your number by Mr. Pistalo. 447 00:22:41,422 --> 00:22:43,042 Jack Murphy and Cameron prince. 448 00:22:43,043 --> 00:22:44,559 We're two researchers. 449 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,663 We're doing an investigation on Nikola Tesla. 450 00:22:49,318 --> 00:22:52,421 We were wondering if we could gain access 451 00:22:52,422 --> 00:22:54,421 to the archives at the Tesla museum. 452 00:22:54,422 --> 00:22:56,731 We've been trying and not having much luck, 453 00:22:56,732 --> 00:23:00,008 but Mr. Pistalo said you were the person we should talk to. 454 00:23:06,215 --> 00:23:08,593 We're looking for any kind of documents 455 00:23:08,594 --> 00:23:12,836 that the museum might have, especially about the death ray. 456 00:23:22,284 --> 00:23:24,524 Narrator: Aron's team is building a large prototype 457 00:23:24,525 --> 00:23:26,110 of Tesla's death ray. 458 00:23:26,111 --> 00:23:28,317 If they can prove this weapon was more than a myth, 459 00:23:28,318 --> 00:23:31,076 it will provide a motive for the murder of Tesla. 460 00:23:31,077 --> 00:23:33,766 The first step is fabricating the sphere, 461 00:23:33,767 --> 00:23:36,008 the weaponized portion of the death ray. 462 00:23:39,111 --> 00:23:42,179 - You want the whole stack? - It's a 10-foot sphere. 463 00:23:42,180 --> 00:23:45,110 - Yes, we need the whole stack. - Okay. The whole stack then. 464 00:23:45,111 --> 00:23:46,938 Narrator: Although Tesla's original plans 465 00:23:46,939 --> 00:23:49,110 called for a sphere at the top of the weapon, 466 00:23:49,111 --> 00:23:51,559 the plans may have been different towards the end of his life. 467 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:54,490 His obsessive-compulsive disorder had become so extreme, 468 00:23:54,491 --> 00:23:56,628 he avoided all round objects. 469 00:23:56,629 --> 00:23:58,559 He also became a severe germaphobe, 470 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:00,904 recoiling at the touch of human hair. 471 00:24:00,905 --> 00:24:03,593 But even as his behavior grew increasingly bizarre, 472 00:24:03,594 --> 00:24:05,973 his experiments never lost their precision, 473 00:24:05,974 --> 00:24:08,007 and Aron's team must follow suit. 474 00:24:08,008 --> 00:24:10,869 Koscho: One of the cool things about the death ray 475 00:24:10,870 --> 00:24:13,524 is that it wasn't just about a death ray. 476 00:24:13,525 --> 00:24:14,904 It could've been used 477 00:24:14,905 --> 00:24:17,145 for wireless power transmission, as well. 478 00:24:17,146 --> 00:24:18,904 And this was something Tesla theorized. 479 00:24:18,905 --> 00:24:20,973 I mean, you have this huge amount of power here. 480 00:24:20,974 --> 00:24:24,145 And it's been satisfied on a small scale 481 00:24:24,146 --> 00:24:27,248 but never on the industrial, massive, 482 00:24:27,249 --> 00:24:29,386 you know, global scale that Tesla envisioned it. 483 00:24:29,387 --> 00:24:32,904 So, obviously, we need to find a solution and get this right. 484 00:24:32,905 --> 00:24:35,248 We're building a very dangerous device here. 485 00:24:35,249 --> 00:24:36,869 If we don't have a good sphere, 486 00:24:36,870 --> 00:24:40,043 then we have an unpredictable death ray. 487 00:24:41,836 --> 00:24:43,731 The first step in building the sphere 488 00:24:43,732 --> 00:24:46,317 is going to be building the frame, the skeleton for it. 489 00:24:46,318 --> 00:24:47,973 We need to be able to know where 490 00:24:47,974 --> 00:24:51,179 all of the energy that's stored in this thing is going to leave, 491 00:24:51,180 --> 00:24:55,110 and the sphere determines how that works. 492 00:24:55,111 --> 00:24:57,559 You and I are just gonna be walking around this thing, 493 00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,938 checking and holding and making sure it's all right 494 00:24:59,939 --> 00:25:02,456 before it gets permanently welded. 495 00:25:04,111 --> 00:25:05,559 Oh, yeah. 496 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,145 - Does that look like a circle? - It looks like a circle. 497 00:25:08,146 --> 00:25:10,042 We've seen these Tesla coils, 498 00:25:10,043 --> 00:25:12,248 you know, arc off of random, sharp points before, 499 00:25:12,249 --> 00:25:13,869 and you have to, like, control [bleep] 500 00:25:13,870 --> 00:25:15,973 The raw power that this death ray can deliver, 501 00:25:15,974 --> 00:25:18,076 it's something not to be taken lightly, 502 00:25:18,077 --> 00:25:21,110 and we need to be very cautious. 503 00:25:21,111 --> 00:25:23,386 Mistakes at this scale can be a lot more costly. 504 00:25:23,387 --> 00:25:26,455 - You're gonna be trapped inside. - Okay. 505 00:25:26,456 --> 00:25:29,697 - Hey. - It fits! 506 00:25:29,698 --> 00:25:31,524 Dude, that's awesome. 507 00:25:31,525 --> 00:25:33,421 So, right now it's just gonna be 508 00:25:33,422 --> 00:25:35,455 kind of a skeleton frame, you know? 509 00:25:35,456 --> 00:25:37,007 But after that tubing goes on, 510 00:25:37,008 --> 00:25:39,076 it'll look a whole lot more like a ball. 511 00:25:39,077 --> 00:25:41,766 Koscho: The most critical part is actually the rings. 512 00:25:41,767 --> 00:25:45,248 The rings create the smooth, circular shape. 513 00:25:45,249 --> 00:25:46,766 It might sound really complicated, 514 00:25:46,767 --> 00:25:49,145 but if you take a bowling ball and you pour water over it, 515 00:25:49,146 --> 00:25:51,179 it flows over it in a perfectly smooth stream, 516 00:25:51,180 --> 00:25:54,318 and that is what we need our high voltage to do around our sphere. 517 00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:59,248 [ Clanging ] 518 00:25:59,249 --> 00:26:01,317 All right. See if it fits. 519 00:26:01,318 --> 00:26:04,043 Oh, dude, that's gonna fit perfectly. 520 00:26:08,180 --> 00:26:10,076 Koscho: We need to make sure 521 00:26:10,077 --> 00:26:12,869 that this sphere appears to be perfect 522 00:26:12,870 --> 00:26:14,904 to the electric field that's around it. 523 00:26:14,905 --> 00:26:17,938 That means no sharp edges, no bad welds. 524 00:26:17,939 --> 00:26:20,283 Everything has to be polished and smooth. 525 00:26:20,284 --> 00:26:22,904 - Oh. Dude, look at that. - Don't get any better than that. 526 00:26:22,905 --> 00:26:24,869 It's gonna be strong as [bleep] 527 00:26:24,870 --> 00:26:26,593 Narrator: For Tesla, even the smallest detail 528 00:26:26,594 --> 00:26:28,317 of his inventions are critical. 529 00:26:28,318 --> 00:26:29,697 Obsessed with his work, 530 00:26:29,698 --> 00:26:33,007 Tesla sleeps only two to three hours a night. 531 00:26:33,008 --> 00:26:37,455 In one legendary stretch, he works for 84 hours straight. 532 00:26:37,456 --> 00:26:39,317 In the brief time he does sleep, 533 00:26:39,318 --> 00:26:43,731 Tesla suffers from nightmares about his unfinished inventions. 534 00:26:43,732 --> 00:26:45,490 So, next up for the sphere 535 00:26:45,491 --> 00:26:47,697 is going to be running some structural tests on it. 536 00:26:47,698 --> 00:26:49,697 I want to pull on this thing, and I want to make sure 537 00:26:49,698 --> 00:26:52,904 that nothing pops, breaks, bends, deforms. 538 00:26:52,905 --> 00:26:55,248 And if I can pull on it and I know it all works, 539 00:26:55,249 --> 00:26:56,800 then I'm gonna be 100% confident 540 00:26:56,801 --> 00:26:59,421 in its electrical and mechanical stability. 541 00:26:59,422 --> 00:27:01,629 [ Electricity buzzing ] 542 00:27:07,491 --> 00:27:10,145 Narrator: Jack and Cameron follow the trail of information 543 00:27:10,146 --> 00:27:12,697 to their most promising contact yet... 544 00:27:12,698 --> 00:27:14,007 An informant they hope 545 00:27:14,008 --> 00:27:16,007 can get them access to the archive, 546 00:27:16,008 --> 00:27:19,560 an area the Serbian government deems off-limits to the public. 547 00:27:29,663 --> 00:27:32,766 So, is this guy gonna show up? 548 00:27:32,767 --> 00:27:34,560 Hope so. 549 00:27:37,870 --> 00:27:40,042 This is, like, our last-ditch effort. 550 00:27:40,043 --> 00:27:42,110 - He's got to show. - Yeah, pretty much. 551 00:27:42,111 --> 00:27:47,179 ♪♪ 552 00:27:47,180 --> 00:27:49,077 Is that him there? 553 00:27:57,491 --> 00:27:59,490 Narrator: Jack and Cameron hope that gaining access 554 00:27:59,491 --> 00:28:01,317 to the national Tesla archives 555 00:28:01,318 --> 00:28:04,248 might provide them with clues about the inventor's death 556 00:28:04,249 --> 00:28:06,593 and unravel the mystery around the documents 557 00:28:06,594 --> 00:28:09,697 allegedly stolen from Tesla's safe that night. 558 00:28:09,698 --> 00:28:12,731 Is this guy gonna show up? 559 00:28:12,732 --> 00:28:15,007 I sure hope so. 560 00:28:15,008 --> 00:28:17,455 Murphy: We were wondering if we could gain access 561 00:28:17,456 --> 00:28:19,697 to the archives at the Tesla museum. 562 00:28:19,698 --> 00:28:22,663 Mr. Pistalo said you were the person we should talk to. 563 00:28:26,732 --> 00:28:29,697 We're hoping this can help open some doors for us 564 00:28:29,698 --> 00:28:31,559 to get into the archives and let us know 565 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:33,732 if there are any plans to the death ray there. 566 00:28:36,043 --> 00:28:39,455 As an investigator, I've learned that when you go abroad 567 00:28:39,456 --> 00:28:42,628 and you conduct an international investigation like this, 568 00:28:42,629 --> 00:28:44,835 it's a game of counting on other people. 569 00:28:44,836 --> 00:28:46,938 The reality is that you're only as good 570 00:28:46,939 --> 00:28:48,732 as your sources are reliable. 571 00:28:54,387 --> 00:28:56,318 Is that him there? 572 00:28:59,836 --> 00:29:02,110 Mr. [bleep] 573 00:29:02,111 --> 00:29:04,663 Uh, I'm Jack Murphy. 574 00:29:10,525 --> 00:29:13,214 We were hoping that you could talk to us a little bit today 575 00:29:13,215 --> 00:29:15,560 and tell us about Tesla. 576 00:29:24,698 --> 00:29:26,455 Prince: The reason we're here 577 00:29:26,456 --> 00:29:29,559 is primarily to do with Tesla's weapon, the death ray. 578 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:32,904 Do you know anything about documents 579 00:29:32,905 --> 00:29:36,111 that may be at the museum about that? 580 00:29:45,180 --> 00:29:47,938 There are rumors that Tesla had an agreement 581 00:29:47,939 --> 00:29:49,593 with a corporation called amtorg. 582 00:29:49,594 --> 00:29:53,593 Supposedly they were a front for the Soviets. 583 00:29:53,594 --> 00:29:56,179 If Tesla did sell something to the Soviets 584 00:29:56,180 --> 00:29:58,490 and the receipt is there in the archives, 585 00:29:58,491 --> 00:30:00,905 there's no telling what else is there. 586 00:30:07,594 --> 00:30:09,317 Were there any other countries 587 00:30:09,318 --> 00:30:12,525 that tried to buy the death ray other than Russia? 588 00:30:24,215 --> 00:30:26,628 We know that there were three world powers... 589 00:30:26,629 --> 00:30:29,800 The Nazis, the Soviets, and the United States. 590 00:30:29,801 --> 00:30:32,766 All three of these parties were pitted against one another, 591 00:30:32,767 --> 00:30:35,490 and they were in arms races. 592 00:30:35,491 --> 00:30:38,145 We've always believed that there were major world superpowers 593 00:30:38,146 --> 00:30:41,214 who wanted to get their hands on the death-ray plans. 594 00:30:41,215 --> 00:30:44,248 But now that we know that the Germans approached Tesla, 595 00:30:44,249 --> 00:30:46,973 that suspicion is becoming a reality. 596 00:30:46,974 --> 00:30:50,836 Do you think Tesla finished the death ray? 597 00:30:57,560 --> 00:31:01,386 We need access to the archives. 598 00:31:01,387 --> 00:31:03,042 We've had a hard time 599 00:31:03,043 --> 00:31:05,767 making some inroads there with the museum. 600 00:31:09,974 --> 00:31:12,387 Do you think you could help us out? 601 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:18,352 To cut through the facts and fiction 602 00:31:18,353 --> 00:31:20,593 and establish which is which. 603 00:31:20,594 --> 00:31:23,490 We're trying to find out if the death ray ever really existed 604 00:31:23,491 --> 00:31:26,077 and if Tesla was murdered. 605 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:48,387 Thank you so much for meeting with us. 606 00:31:52,594 --> 00:31:55,490 - [Bleep] Yeah, bro. - We got it, man. 607 00:31:55,491 --> 00:32:02,800 ♪♪ 608 00:32:02,801 --> 00:32:04,421 Narrator: Aron and his team 609 00:32:04,422 --> 00:32:06,628 are building a large-scale death-ray prototype. 610 00:32:06,629 --> 00:32:08,352 If they can prove Tesla's invention 611 00:32:08,353 --> 00:32:10,421 could've been a weapon of mass destruction, 612 00:32:10,422 --> 00:32:14,455 it will provide motive for Tesla's murder. 613 00:32:14,456 --> 00:32:17,179 So, the sphere is complete, and it turned out great. 614 00:32:17,180 --> 00:32:19,352 One of the things we may learn from this death ray 615 00:32:19,353 --> 00:32:21,731 is that Tesla's wireless power transmission ideas 616 00:32:21,732 --> 00:32:23,421 weren't all that crazy. 617 00:32:23,422 --> 00:32:25,835 We may be able to deliver a lot of energy, 618 00:32:25,836 --> 00:32:28,421 without wires, to our target. 619 00:32:28,422 --> 00:32:30,352 But we got a lot of work left on this death ray 620 00:32:30,353 --> 00:32:31,869 because the next step for the sphere 621 00:32:31,870 --> 00:32:33,628 is going to be load testing. 622 00:32:33,629 --> 00:32:35,317 The thing is, if something does break, 623 00:32:35,318 --> 00:32:37,145 we pretty much got to start from scratch, 624 00:32:37,146 --> 00:32:40,111 because there won't be any salvaging it after the test. 625 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:46,938 - You think this is gonna hold? - I hope so. 626 00:32:46,939 --> 00:32:49,524 - All right. It's 83 pounds. - Here you go, man. 627 00:32:49,525 --> 00:32:51,559 - Oh, thanks. - Uh-huh. 628 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:53,076 - Getting a little cold out here. - Yeah. 629 00:32:53,077 --> 00:32:54,938 All right, what do you want to do with this thing? 630 00:32:54,939 --> 00:32:56,973 We really need a good structural test of this. 631 00:32:56,974 --> 00:32:59,938 Everything here has been welded together. You did a good job on it. 632 00:32:59,939 --> 00:33:03,455 It looks good, but if we pull on this and nothing breaks, 633 00:33:03,456 --> 00:33:06,007 we know all the welds are good, then we also know 634 00:33:06,008 --> 00:33:08,145 that everything is intact electrically. 635 00:33:08,146 --> 00:33:11,524 If something pops off and ends up floating electrically, 636 00:33:11,525 --> 00:33:13,042 then we have a problem. 637 00:33:13,043 --> 00:33:17,110 There are some risks involved in discharging this death ray. 638 00:33:17,111 --> 00:33:18,869 The amount of energy that we're dealing with here, 639 00:33:18,870 --> 00:33:21,042 the raw power that this death ray can deliver, 640 00:33:21,043 --> 00:33:23,110 it's something not to be taken lightly. 641 00:33:23,111 --> 00:33:24,835 It scares the [bleep] out of me. 642 00:33:24,836 --> 00:33:27,352 Narrator: While Tesla was a master inventor, 643 00:33:27,353 --> 00:33:30,904 he doesn't always test his work, because he doesn't have to. 644 00:33:30,905 --> 00:33:32,317 He constructs and proves 645 00:33:32,318 --> 00:33:35,628 and even operates his inventions in his mind. 646 00:33:35,629 --> 00:33:38,317 Tesla is known to fall into a trance-like state, 647 00:33:38,318 --> 00:33:40,938 where he can see the invention from every angle. 648 00:33:40,939 --> 00:33:42,214 Once out of the trance, 649 00:33:42,215 --> 00:33:46,110 Tesla has exact measurements for every detail. 650 00:33:46,111 --> 00:33:49,800 Let's put maybe 500 pounds or so of force across this thing. 651 00:33:49,801 --> 00:33:52,421 If everything stays in place, then we're good. 652 00:33:52,422 --> 00:33:54,007 Sounds good. Okay. 653 00:33:54,008 --> 00:33:56,835 All right. Start pulling on it. 654 00:33:56,836 --> 00:33:58,317 [ Laughs ] 655 00:33:58,318 --> 00:34:00,111 [ Hydraulic whirring ] 656 00:34:01,870 --> 00:34:05,317 - We're at 135. - Okay. 657 00:34:05,318 --> 00:34:06,593 Zero it out. 658 00:34:06,594 --> 00:34:09,248 Know what the weight of the sphere is now. 659 00:34:09,249 --> 00:34:11,386 10. 660 00:34:11,387 --> 00:34:14,249 30. 661 00:34:16,629 --> 00:34:18,869 100. 662 00:34:18,870 --> 00:34:21,179 Looking good. 663 00:34:21,180 --> 00:34:24,179 200. 664 00:34:24,180 --> 00:34:27,146 250! 300! 665 00:34:32,387 --> 00:34:34,284 400. 666 00:34:37,456 --> 00:34:39,386 500! 667 00:34:39,387 --> 00:34:41,421 530. 668 00:34:41,422 --> 00:34:43,766 Koscho: Perfect. 669 00:34:43,767 --> 00:34:45,559 I think we've got it. 670 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:49,042 If it can hold that weight, then it's going to be able 671 00:34:49,043 --> 00:34:50,697 to deal with anything we throw at it, 672 00:34:50,698 --> 00:34:53,042 and it's gonna stay together, and if it stays together, 673 00:34:53,043 --> 00:34:54,662 that means it's good electrically. 674 00:34:54,663 --> 00:34:56,800 I'm really happy with how this sphere build turned out. 675 00:34:56,801 --> 00:34:59,076 Now that we know the sphere is structurally sound, 676 00:34:59,077 --> 00:35:00,766 we can connect it to the death ray 677 00:35:00,767 --> 00:35:02,869 and we can figure out how we're going to get 678 00:35:02,870 --> 00:35:04,731 all the power we need to make this beam. 679 00:35:04,732 --> 00:35:07,386 We got a lot of work left, and with or without death-ray plans, 680 00:35:07,387 --> 00:35:09,317 I've got to move forward with this project, 681 00:35:09,318 --> 00:35:11,283 but I'm still really hoping Jack and Cameron 682 00:35:11,284 --> 00:35:13,283 come back with some useful information. 683 00:35:13,284 --> 00:35:15,421 All right, y'all. Let's get to it. 684 00:35:15,422 --> 00:35:17,593 Okay. 685 00:35:17,594 --> 00:35:25,594 ♪♪ 686 00:35:38,525 --> 00:35:41,662 Murphy: The meeting went even better than I could've imagined. 687 00:35:41,663 --> 00:35:43,628 Not only did he give us a final number, 688 00:35:43,629 --> 00:35:45,110 but he also gave us his blessing 689 00:35:45,111 --> 00:35:47,835 to contact someone on the inside. 690 00:35:47,836 --> 00:35:50,662 I didn't want to go home without this. 691 00:35:50,663 --> 00:35:54,180 This is a big deal. We're not playing around here. 692 00:35:56,974 --> 00:35:59,490 This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity 693 00:35:59,491 --> 00:36:02,283 to go into the archives, but in my experience, 694 00:36:02,284 --> 00:36:04,731 these opportunities don't come without restrictions. 695 00:36:04,732 --> 00:36:07,800 This would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. 696 00:36:07,801 --> 00:36:10,731 And our time is limited when we actually arrive. 697 00:36:10,732 --> 00:36:13,077 I don't fully know what to expect in there. 698 00:36:25,215 --> 00:36:26,593 There you go. Keep the change. 699 00:36:26,594 --> 00:36:28,422 - Thank you, sir. - Thanks, man. Bye. 700 00:36:31,008 --> 00:36:33,628 Let's go find some treasure. 701 00:36:33,629 --> 00:36:36,455 [ Siren wails ] 702 00:36:36,456 --> 00:36:44,111 ♪♪ 703 00:36:50,043 --> 00:36:52,042 Narrator: In 1941, Hitler formally announces 704 00:36:52,043 --> 00:36:54,697 his vision for a new world order and will stop at nothing 705 00:36:54,698 --> 00:36:56,731 to seize any new technology 706 00:36:56,732 --> 00:36:59,455 which will strengthen his planned conquest. 707 00:36:59,456 --> 00:37:01,766 According to multiple historians, 708 00:37:01,767 --> 00:37:03,007 Adolf Hitler has learned 709 00:37:03,008 --> 00:37:05,042 of Nikola Tesla's plan for the death ray 710 00:37:05,043 --> 00:37:07,421 and is desperate to acquire the blueprints 711 00:37:07,422 --> 00:37:10,938 for the world's first weapon of mass destruction. 712 00:37:10,939 --> 00:37:14,455 If Hitler had been able to acquire Tesla's superweapon, 713 00:37:14,456 --> 00:37:17,662 some believe his plan for global domination may have succeeded, 714 00:37:17,663 --> 00:37:20,732 forever rewriting history. 715 00:37:27,215 --> 00:37:34,490 ♪♪ 716 00:37:34,491 --> 00:37:37,490 Narrator: Jack and Cameron are granted unprecedented access 717 00:37:37,491 --> 00:37:40,731 for one hour to the Tesla archives here in Serbia. 718 00:37:40,732 --> 00:37:44,007 - Hi. Milica. - Hi. 719 00:37:44,008 --> 00:37:45,800 Prince: You were expecting us. 720 00:37:45,801 --> 00:37:48,662 Murphy: We have the file number right here, if that helps. 721 00:37:48,663 --> 00:37:56,663 ♪♪ 722 00:38:04,043 --> 00:38:06,386 Narrator: Any information about Tesla's death ray 723 00:38:06,387 --> 00:38:09,042 in the archives could prove conclusively 724 00:38:09,043 --> 00:38:12,110 that there was motive to murder the inventor. 725 00:38:12,111 --> 00:38:14,214 Kesler: In here. 726 00:38:14,215 --> 00:38:19,973 ♪♪ 727 00:38:19,974 --> 00:38:23,110 - This is it? - This is the Tesla archive. 728 00:38:23,111 --> 00:38:31,111 ♪♪ 729 00:38:33,043 --> 00:38:35,180 Wow. 730 00:38:37,939 --> 00:38:40,800 Murphy: That's incredible. 731 00:38:40,801 --> 00:38:42,973 Come on. 732 00:38:42,974 --> 00:38:46,111 Getting access to the archive is nothing short of a miracle. 733 00:38:50,560 --> 00:38:52,938 - This is a sketch. - Mm-hmm. 734 00:38:52,939 --> 00:38:54,179 Wow. 735 00:38:54,180 --> 00:38:56,524 - Tesla's own hand. - Yes. 736 00:38:56,525 --> 00:38:58,145 Have these documents ever been published? 737 00:38:58,146 --> 00:39:00,317 - No. - No? Really? 738 00:39:00,318 --> 00:39:03,317 - August 28, 1935. - Yes. 739 00:39:03,318 --> 00:39:05,042 This is the real deal. 740 00:39:05,043 --> 00:39:06,317 Is that the death ray? 741 00:39:06,318 --> 00:39:08,421 That's definitely the death ray. 742 00:39:08,422 --> 00:39:12,662 [ Thunder rumbling ] 743 00:39:12,663 --> 00:39:14,835 I mean, look at this. This is 35... 744 00:39:14,836 --> 00:39:16,179 No, no, no. 745 00:39:16,180 --> 00:39:17,559 - No touch. - No touch. 746 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:18,869 Oh, I'm not touching. 747 00:39:18,870 --> 00:39:20,455 All right, what are these notations? 748 00:39:20,456 --> 00:39:22,042 Is this the dimensions of the tower? 749 00:39:22,043 --> 00:39:23,870 I don't know what is... That is a note. 750 00:39:26,111 --> 00:39:28,248 Can we begin scanning the documents? 751 00:39:28,249 --> 00:39:30,317 Just a moment. 752 00:39:30,318 --> 00:39:35,214 There's a lot of information here, and we need to capture it. 753 00:39:35,215 --> 00:39:37,697 We brought in a proscope device that's gonna take 754 00:39:37,698 --> 00:39:41,559 high-resolution scans without having to touch the documents. 755 00:39:41,560 --> 00:39:44,697 That allows us to take as many scans as we can 756 00:39:44,698 --> 00:39:46,731 in the limited amount of time we have, 757 00:39:46,732 --> 00:39:49,455 then take these documents outside the museum 758 00:39:49,456 --> 00:39:53,386 so that we can analyze every detail with a fine-toothed comb. 759 00:39:53,387 --> 00:39:55,766 [ Thunder rumbles ] 760 00:39:55,767 --> 00:39:58,490 ♪♪ 761 00:39:58,491 --> 00:40:01,455 - Here we got dimensions. - Yeah. 762 00:40:01,456 --> 00:40:03,938 - 60 feet. - By 8.2. 763 00:40:03,939 --> 00:40:05,248 Meters wide. 764 00:40:05,249 --> 00:40:06,904 He's switching between metric and standard. 765 00:40:06,905 --> 00:40:08,214 Yeah, there's metric, standard, 766 00:40:08,215 --> 00:40:10,767 and they're mixed even in the same measurement. 767 00:40:12,939 --> 00:40:15,110 You can see that it was kind of 768 00:40:15,111 --> 00:40:17,835 almost a progression from one to the other. 769 00:40:17,836 --> 00:40:19,662 I mean, this is a lot more 770 00:40:19,663 --> 00:40:21,731 than just the physical design of the tower. 771 00:40:21,732 --> 00:40:23,421 This is him actually 772 00:40:23,422 --> 00:40:26,593 working through the electronics, the engineering. 773 00:40:26,594 --> 00:40:28,731 I mean, it clearly shows that this is something 774 00:40:28,732 --> 00:40:30,317 he was actually trying to design. 775 00:40:30,318 --> 00:40:32,179 And lookit here. We got dimensions. 776 00:40:32,180 --> 00:40:36,214 Yeah. I also need to brush up on my math skills. 777 00:40:36,215 --> 00:40:38,559 For sure. Me too. 778 00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:41,697 Those formulas were huge. 779 00:40:41,698 --> 00:40:45,662 On paper and in his mind, this was a real thing. 780 00:40:45,663 --> 00:40:47,455 - He was working through it. - Yeah. 781 00:40:47,456 --> 00:40:49,524 Yeah. Wow. 782 00:40:49,525 --> 00:40:52,076 Prince: Tesla's research is extremely complicated, 783 00:40:52,077 --> 00:40:55,007 and these documents are exactly what we were looking for. 784 00:40:55,008 --> 00:40:57,628 There are notes about the death ray. 785 00:40:57,629 --> 00:41:01,214 There's a wealth of information here. 786 00:41:01,215 --> 00:41:03,524 - Wow, man. - My mind's blown. 787 00:41:03,525 --> 00:41:06,076 I wasn't expecting to find all that, honestly. 788 00:41:06,077 --> 00:41:08,076 We've been studying Tesla for all these months. 789 00:41:08,077 --> 00:41:11,490 I've been doing it all my life. Never seen anything like that. 790 00:41:11,491 --> 00:41:14,179 That makes the death ray real. 791 00:41:14,180 --> 00:41:16,387 [ Thunder rumbles ] 792 00:41:23,629 --> 00:41:25,697 You're telling me that Hitler 793 00:41:25,698 --> 00:41:27,973 actually ordered the assassination of Tesla? 794 00:41:27,974 --> 00:41:29,869 - Yes. - Holy [bleep] 795 00:41:29,870 --> 00:41:32,938 This is missing, so he's got something original in there 796 00:41:32,939 --> 00:41:34,593 that he's got pictures of. 797 00:41:34,594 --> 00:41:36,421 It's not here. 798 00:41:36,422 --> 00:41:39,422 Koscho: If something here fails, it's gonna be a catastrophic failure.